Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was on the arts and crafts centre opening up in Ulukhaktok. It would be a huge loss if we lose any skills necessary to continue our traditional arts and crafts; therefore, will this government ensure the resources are in place for the community-based workshops to increase awareness of these areas?

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I look forward to going home and telling all my carvers that I’m going to have a carving centre opening up. No, he is right; I do have all the oil and gas in the Territories. We’re open for business.

The initiative such as the Subsidiary Company Program with the NWT BDIC is an excellent way to create jobs in the communities; development services promote traditional arts. Will this government look at providing similar assistance to other community-based businesses to service the export of products?

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister ensure that my constituent complaints be looked into by the Power Corporation and be dealt with as soon as possible? They have been ongoing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement is on the Power Corporation’s procedure for dealing with damage done to people’s appliances over the power fluctuations that we’ve been having. Mr. Speaker, how many of these claims have been received each year from our Nunakput communities that are paid out from the Inuvik office? Thank you.

Only the most important riding in this whole Territory, Mr. Speaker.

---Interjection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What will the Power Corporation do to improve the communication with the customers in the small communities so that their complaints will be resolved sooner rather than later? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, what’s being done to ensure that the troubleshooting with the electrical systems can be done in our communities instead of waiting for technicians to fly into the communities? Thank you.

Anyway, I’d like to welcome Melinda Bourke as well. She’s my wife’s niece and I’m her uncle. I’d like to welcome Marcus, as well, for doing a good job helping out as a Page in the Page Program. It is a really good program. I’d like to welcome Ms. Sarah Jerome, too, into the House. Good to see you, Sarah. And Mr. Reid, one of my old teachers up in Inuvik. We had a lot of good run-ins and a lot of good times. Thank you, Mr. Reid.